Train-controlling apparatus.



l. P. DRAWBAUGH.

TRAIN CONTROLLING APPARATUS. APPLICATION mm AUG.2I, 1913.

1,179,617. I I Patented Apr. 18,1916.

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THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH can, WASHINOTONLD- 4 I. P. DRAWBAUGH.

TRAIN CONTROLLING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILE'D AUG.21. 1913.

1,179,617. A Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

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1x) as m jMc 7n ISAAC .P. DBAWBAUGH, OF DE QUEEN, ARKANSAS.

TRAIN-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

Application filed. August 21, 1913. Serial No. 785,988.

To all whom it may concern:

7 Be it known that I, IsAAo P. DRAWBAUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at De Queen, in the county of Sevier and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train-Controlling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. 4

Thisv invention relates to improvements in train controlling apparatus and one of the objects is to provide such an apparatus which is adapted to operate the controlling member or throttle, if the steam engine is used, to shut off the power, and to also effect an instant emergency application of the brakes either in case of accident or when the engineer passes a signal without slacking speed in obeyance thereto.

In the present embodiment of my invention, an improved actuator is provided for the throttle which will permit of the usual manual operation thereof under normal conditions, but which will serve to positively throw the throttle into a shut ofl position, and hold it in suchposition against any possibility of operation by the engineer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a throttle shut off device which is constantly under the action of opposing pressures so that'it will be instantly responsive for the purpose of shutting off the throttle when such emergency arises.

Other features of novelty and construction will be more fully set forth in connection with the accompanying drawings and paratus embodying one i Fig. 4, is a sectional view will be more particularly pointed out in and by the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1, is a View in elevation, with parts in section, of an apform of my invention, the view being taken sidewise of the track rail. Fig. 2, is an end View of the throttle controlled device. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view thereof. taken on line 4-4c of Fig. 1. Fig. 5, is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 1, showing a signal operating device for the apparatus of my invention. As illustrated, 1, designates one of the ties on which the rails 2,1are disposed, in the usual manner. At certain points along thetlength of the road, operating signal de= vices will be disposed adjacent the track, and as illustrated, I have shown the same in "the form of a disk or rotary member 3,

which is journaled in the forked end 4, of an arm 5. The arm 5, may be raised or lowered by a lever 6, which may be pivoted at 7, and the lever 6, is designed for operation from a signal tower or any other desired point. When the rotary member 3, 1s 1n an elevated position, it will lie in the path of and actuate a part of the apparatus of my invention, as will presently appear.

In the following description I will refer to an engine as the motive power for the train although the device of my invention can be applied to any other form of prime mover means.

The throttle of the engine is designated at 8, and has the usual pivotal mounting 9 and connection 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The throttle operating device comprises a cylinder'll, in which a piston 12, is reciprocable. This piston 12, is provided with a piston rod 13, having a lost motion connection with the throttle 8, so that when the throttle closing device is in an inoperative position, the throttle may be manually operated in the usual way.

As shown, the end of the piston rod 13, has a slotted portion 14:, through which the throttle 8, projects.

An emergency or reserve chamber '15, provided with a pet cock 15, is connected with the opposite ends of the cylinder 11, by supply and emergency ports 16 and 17. The supply port 16, is controlled by a valve 18, which is of the pop type and which is set so that it will open for the admission of a supply of pressure through 16, to the chamber 15, only after the pressure in one end of the cylinder has reached a predetermined point.

The train line is indicated at 19, and is provided with a branch 20, opening to one end of cylinder 11. The air pressure from the train line will always be applied to the right hand face of the piston 12 so as to normally act to hold the piston 12 in the throttle releasing position shown in Fig. 1.

The pressure from the train line will enter the cylinder 11, and because of the increased area thereof with respect to the pipe 20, the pressure will slightly lower from the pressure on the train line, momentarily, but will act almost instantly to force the piston 12, into the throttle opening position, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The valve 18, may be set so as not to open until the pressure in the forty-five (45') pounds for instance, so as to leave plenty of time for the piston 12, to

reach the position shown in Fig.1. After.v

the valve 18 is opened, then'air' pressure will be supplied to the emergency chamber through supply port 16, whereby the chamber 15 may be maintained with an internal supply of air under pressure equal to the pressure on the train line... The emergency chamber 15, is always in communication with the left hand end of the cylinder 11, through emergency port 17 so that the piston 12, will be subjected to pressures on both sides thereof. However, the piston 12, is provided with an enlarged hub 21, which greatly restricts the area of its face 22, wlth respect to its face 23.' Thus while there 1s an equal pressure on both sides of the piston 12,'still, the face 22, presents a reduced area with respect to the face 23, and consequently, the pressure on the face 23, will act with greater power and will hold the piston 12, in the position shown in Fig. 1, when the train line is operative. The valve 18, also functions as a non-return valve so that if the pressure on the train line is decreased below normal, it will not serve to reduce the pressure in emergency chamber 15. a

Means is provided for permitting exhaust from the train line through co-action with the track signal device heretofore described,

and such means may consist of a lever 24, pivotally mounted at 25, to any desired part of the engine. The free end 26, of the lever, extends into the path of the disk 3, so that the lever will be elevated when it passes over the disk 3. [It will be understood that the disk 3, will not beelevated into an actuating position, except when it isdesired to signal for a retard of speed or complete stoppage of the train, and the track signal operating device maybe arranged to operate simultaneously with the usual semaphores, so that if the engineer does not heed the semaphore'signal, the track signal will positively bring'the train to a positionof rest. 3

Assuming that the track signal device 3, has been elevated to an operative position,

it will thereby raise the lever 24. The lever 24, is connected by a link 27, with a brake link means comprising a link member 28 pivoted at 29, and a link member 30, pivoted to the link member 28 at 31. The link member 30, is pivoted at 32 to a stem 33, of a valve 34, which latter seats upon a train line extension 35', to control egress therefrom. A guide 36 holds the valve 34, to a straight line of movement. 1

It will be seen that the pivot 31, is below the straight meeting or abutting ends of'the link members 28 and 30, so that when the latter are in an unbroken or straight :posithrottle for tion, as shown in 4, the valve 34, will be rigidly locked an e-fiective seating position, against the train extension 35 to close the same. A packing 37, may be provided "so that the'lin'k members 28 and 30 will close into a dead center lock position,. as shown in Fig. 4, only under the application 1 of considerable pressure. Upon elevation of the lever 24, by disk 3, the link means will be broken on the pivot 31, so as to unseat valve' '34; This will exhaust the train line and quickly lower the pressure therein to set the brakes. This will result in greatly reducing the pressure on the face 23, of the piston 12, with respect to the face 22 thereof, therefore, in as much as the air in the emergency chamber 15, can not return to cylinder 11, through port 16, because of thevalve 18,

the face 22, and force the piston 12, from the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby closingthe throttle, and holding the same closed against any possible manual attempt to open the same. train, and resumption of the pressure in the train line,the piston 12, will take the posi-, tion shown in Fig. 1, as will be clearly understoodfrom the foregoing description;

It is believed that the operation and utility of my invention, will be clearly understood from the foregoing description,and while I have herein shown one specific form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto except for such limitations as the 2 claims may import.

I claim: 1'. In a train controlling apparatus, a

d the engine, a controlling cyliner, v

a piston rod having slotted connection with said throttle, a train line connected with said cylinder to normally force the piston into a throttle releasing position, and "an it will be free to enter cylinder 11 against 1 Immediately upon stoppage of the 1 9O a piston in said cylinder provided with 1' emergency chamber having ported connec- $1 tions with said cylinder on opposite sides of said piston,;a pop valve for closing and preventing return through the port open- 7 ing to'ithat side of the piston to which the train line opensfor'admitting air to said chamber under a pre-determined'pressure, a track signal device, and means carried by sald engine for actuation by said device to exhaust the trainline and permit'expansion of the air in said chamber to move said 'piston into a throttle closing position, substantially as described. 7 i l v 2; In a train controlling apparatus, a throttle for the engine, a controlling cylinder, a piston in said cylinder provided with a piston rod having slottedconn ection with said throttle, one side of said piston having a greater pressure area than the other side thereof, a train line connected with said cylinderon that side of the-pistonhaving a a greater pressure area for normallymoving said piston into a throttle releasing position, an emergency chamber with ports connecting said chamber on the opposite sides of the piston, non-return means in that port connecting said chamber with the larger pressure side of the piston, a track signal device, and means operated by the track signal device for exhausting the pressure of the train line to permit movement of said piston into a throttle closing position under pressure from said chamber, substantially as described.

3. In a train controlling apparatus, a throttle or controlling member, a train line provided with a valve, means operatively connected with the train line for operating the throttle, dead center link meansadapted to be broken for opening said valve, a lever carried by the engine for operating said link means, and a track signal device for operating said lever, substantially as described. I

copies of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01 Patents,

' Washington, D. C.

. 4. In a train controlling apparatus, a throttle or controlling member, a train line terminating in a valve, a cylinder intermediately connected to said train line, a piston slidable in said cylinder and having slotted connections with said throttle, a chamber having communication with said cylinder at opposite extremities thereof, an enlarged hub formed on said piston to limit movement thereof in one direction to prevent the closing of one of the said lines of communication, a valve interposed on the other line, and means connected with said train line valve to actuate said piston to close said throttle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ISAAC P. DRAWBAUGH.

Witnesses:

A. F. COWDEN, D. L. COWDEN. 

